THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
One of the most highly regarded prizes in the world is given to honour the person who has done the most toward promoting peace in the world.
The Nobel Peace Prize is one of five prizes created by Swedish businessman and inventor Alfred Nobel (1833–1896). He left money for the awards in his will and specified how each should be bestowed. Awarded on a yearly basis, the Peace Prize consists of a diploma, a medal, and a monetary award that varies a bit over time. Not long ago, the amount was 10,000,000 Swedish kronor (more than $1,600,000). The prize is presented annually in Oslo, Norway, on December 10, the anniversary of Nobel’s death.
First given in 1901, the Peace Prize, in Nobel’s own words, is awarded “to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between the nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies, and for the holding and promotion of peaceful congresses.” This may also include people or groups who have worked to resolve conflicts or create peace.
The recipient is chosen by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, which is appointed by the Norwegian Parliament. Initial nominations for the prize may be made by a large group of people considered qualified, such as former recipients, university professors, and special advisers to the committee. The committee reviews the nominees and chooses a winner. In some years, no award has been given.
Some famous people have received the Nobel Peace Prize over the years. They include President Woodrow Wilson in 1919 for his part in promoting the League of Nations after World War I; Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1964 for his role in leading a peaceful civil rights movement; and Mother Teresa in 1979 for her charity work with underprivileged people in Calcutta, India. In more recent decades, the prize has gone to the United Nations and its secretary general, Kofi Annan, in 2001 for their work toward a more peaceful world; the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and former U.S. vice president Albert Gore in 2007 for their efforts to increase awareness of global warming; and the Japanese organization Nihon Hidankyo in 2024 for its atomic bomb survivors’ efforts to share their testimony to help keep nuclear weapons from ever being used again.
